A red flag warning is in effect from now through Tuesday in Northeast and Central Oregon, as powerful thunderstorms packing lightning churn across the region this morning.

"We're looking at anywhere from 140 to 150 new fires, with the potential for seven of those to become major wildfires,'' said Terry Marsha, a fire weather forecaster with the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland.

Fire weather forecasters with the National Weather Service in Pendleton and Medford issued the warnings -- which means the potential exists for explosive wildfire breakouts -- at 9:18 a.m. The warnings remain in effect through Tuesday evening.

The storms this morning are already producing "abundant'' lightning strikes, forecasters said.The storms may produce heavy rain, but mostly close to the center of the storm cell, with dry lightning on their peripheries.

weathertap.comAnimated lightning map as of 2:30 p.m. PDT. Most strikes have been confined to south-central Oregon so far today.

Moisture streaming into the state from California, Nevada and Idaho are firing-up the thunderstorms, which are expected to strengthen this afternoon with the heating of the day. The storms can clearly be seen on National Weather Service radar.